NURSE TRIAGE IN THEORY AND IN PRACTICE

'Nurse Triage' refers to the formal process of early assessment of pat ients attending an accident and emergency (A&E) department by a traine d nurse, to ensure that they receive appropriate attention, in a suita ble location, with the requisite degree of urgency. The benefits claim ed for nurse triage include better patient outcomes, through clinical management reaching those in greatest need of it first. A recent study of nurse triage in a British A&E department failed to demonstrate the benefits claimed: patients undergoing triage were delayed, especially those in the most urgent groups. No differences were noted between th e two study groups in levels of satisfaction with the A&E process. The results brought forth criticism from all quarters. In this paper the points made by the critics are considered, and an attempt to answer th em is made.